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Ding Liren
Background Information Ding Liren is the highest rated chess player from China, reaching a peak rating of 2816. He is also a three time Chinese Chess Champion. He held the record of being undefeated in classical chess with a 100 game unbeaten streak which exceeded that of former world champion Mikhail Tal. His record has been surpassed by current world chess champion Magnus Carlsen. Notable Tournaments & Victories In 2017, Ding Liren participated in the World Chess Knockout Tournament which was held in Tbilisi, Georgia. Ding reached the finals of the world cup, eliminating various top opponents but lost to Levon Aronian in the end. In Round 1, Ding eliminated Mohamed Amine Haddouche a renowned player from Algeria with one win and one draw; a score of 1.5 - 0.5. * Ding Liren vs Mohammed Amine Haddouche (1-0) In Round 2, Ding eliminated Ukrainian chess grandmaster Martyn Kravtsiv on tiebreaks. He drew three games, and one the game one of the tiebreaks. * Martyn Kravtsiv vs Ding Liren (0-1) Tiebreak Game 1 * Ding Liren vs Martyn Kravtsiv (1/2-1/2)Tiebreak Game 2 In Round 3, Ding eliminated rising chess star Vidit Gujranthi in a similar fashion by drawing three games and winning one game on tiebreaks. * Ding Liren vs Vidit Gujranthi (1-0) Tiebreak Game 1 * Vidit Gujranthi vs Ding Liren (1/2-1/2) Tiebreak Game 2 In Round 4, Ding eliminated his Chinese compatriot Wang Hao also in a similar fashion by drawing three games and winning one game on tiebreaks. * Ding Liren vs Wang Hao (1-0) Tiebreak Game 2 In Round 5, Ding eliminated Hungarian renowned chess grandmaster Richard Rapport. This time he managed to win without the help of rapid tiebreaks. * Ding Liren vs Richard Rapport (1-0) 5.2 In Round 6, the semi-finals Ding eliminated then U.S chess champion Wesley So. Thus automatically allowing him to reach the finals of the World Cup. * Wesley So vs Ding Liren (0-1) Tiebreak Game 1 * Ding Liren vs Wesley So (1/2-1/2) Tiebreak Game 2 In the finals, Ding faced his toughest opponent in the entire world cup Levon Aronian who was played phenomenally in the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz. Ding could not overcome the latter and lost the finals with a score of 2 - 4, drawing four games and losing two. * Ding Liren vs Levon Aronian (1/2-1/2) 4 Finals * Levon Aronian vs Ding Liren (1-0) 5 Finals * Ding Liren vs Levon Aronian (0-1) 6 Finals In 2019, Ding Liren won the annual Sinquefield Cup with a score of two wins and nine draws. He was tied with Magnus Carlsen in terms of ranking, but Ding proved that he is a force to be reckoned with. He convincingly defeated Carlsen on tiebreaks with a score of 3 - 1. It was his first time winning the tournament and also his first dominant victory over the world champion. * Ding Liren vs Magnus Carlsen (1-0) 3 Tiebreaks * Magnus Carlsen vs Ding Liren (0-1) 4 Tiebreaks In the same year, he once again reached the finals of the World Chess Knockout tournament. Though despite being so close to clinch the title, he lost to Teimour Radjabov in the end.